Our Little Baby Girl Isn't a Little Baby Anymore

Since last September, G has been working with a physical therapist because she was diagnosed with "low muscle tone." In other words, the way her body is built, it is just going to take her a little longer to train her muscles to do what they should.This is why she didn't start rolling over until after 9 months, did splits when she learned to sit up, usually preferred to keep her tounge sticking out, and sits in a "W" position and stands with her feet pronated today.

These "quirks" aren't anything anyone is worried about - in fact, it's quite normal for babies and infants to show these traits - but it is something we need to keep on top of and remind her about so that her muscles and tendons will develop "properly" over time.

Part of the solution recommended to us was to put her in orthotics for 6 months to a year. This will encourage G to hold her feet straight, help support her ankles, and aide her in learning to walk - which she's been so desparate to do these past several weeks.

Up to this point, she's run around barefoot or in soft-sole shoes like Robeez. With the orthotics, she needed  more substantial shoes. So, yesterday she wore sneakers for the very first time.

I know she's started to look different these last couple weeks, but with the sneakers on, it was like pushing a fast-forward button. All of the sudden our baby girl doesn't look like a baby anymore!

F has been making progress too. Over the last two weeks, he will stand up all by himself in the middle of the room and not hold onto anything. He is still gun-shy to take steps. This is probably because most of our house has stone, wood or tile floors - so he's learned that when he falls, it hurts. Last Friday, he was taking 1 or 2 steps by himself, by Sunday night he was up to 3 or 4, then we regressed to where he'd just stand and whine and lower his butt back down and crawl, and last night he started to take a few steps on his own again. I haven't had a chance to shoot any video or take a picture of him standing alone, but here is a picture of G and him standing on the stool by the window in the nursery.